Martin cody



No. 6|3,97 l. Patented Nov. 8, 1898. M. CODY.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FUR SCAFFOLDS,

(Apylication filed Feb. 26, 1898.)

(No Model.)

A TIORNEYS.

UNITED STATES MARTIN CODY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR SCAFFOLDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,971, dated November 8, 1898;

Application filed February 26, 1898. Serial No- 6'71,'74='7. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN CODY, of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Safety Attachmentfor Scaffolds, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a safety appliance to be used in connection with swinging or suspended scaffolds, the object being to prevent the scafiold from falling in case the ordinary suspending means should give way.

The invention'consists of certain novel features of construction, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a scaffold suspended in front of a building and having my safety device attached thereto; and Fig.2 is a cross-sectional elevation of a scafiold, showing the safety device attached thereto.

Swinging scaifolds which are used for working upon the outer faces of buildings are generally suspended from the upper portionof the building by ropes passing through blocks and by which they may be raised and lowered. In the drawings a scafiold G of this sort is shown suspended by ropes B, which are attached to each end of the scaffold and which are 'the suspending-ropes ordinarily used for this purpose. These ropes areliable to break or become loosened in such a way as to permit the scaffold to drop. To prevent such accidents, I apply two additional ropes in the manner hereinafter described.

To some portion of the building above the highest point of travel of the scaifold is secured a device to which a rope may be attached. This device may be of any convenient form; but, as shown in the drawings, it consists of a turnbuckle A, having the rods screwing into the same extending far enough from each end to engage the inner faces of the window-opening. The extra rope D is pro vided with a hook E at its upper end, which may be engaged with this turnbuckle. Any

other convenient method of fastening the rope may be used in lieu of the hook.

The rope D is carried down and about the scafiold, preferably at the outer edge, and is then extended up beyond the opposite edge of the scaffold, forming a loop composed of the two parts D and D Upon the rope D is placed ahook E, adapted to slide upon the rope and which is kept in the loopv formed by the two portions D and D of the rope. This hook is temporarily secured at any point upon the rope by tying a knot F in the rope, by lashing the two parts together, or in any other convenient manner. This hook is secured to the rope at such a point that it willconveniently engage the lower turnbuckle A, which is secured within the window-opening. This lower turnbuckle is movable up and down the face of the building and is kept at all times a slight distance above the scaffold.

The first or upper turnbuckle is firmly secured to the upper part of the building and is left there until the work has been completed. That portion of the rope D extending downward from the upper turnbuckle A is preferably passed behind the lower turnbuckle, and thus serves to hold the scaffold inward toward the building. The lower portion D of the rope extends downward along the front of the building and should be of such length as to reach to the ground. That portion of the rope extending below the scaffold is not in use, but is provided in order that the scaffold may be dropped downward to the ground as the work progresses.

It is not intended that this safety-rope D should be relied upon to ordinarily support the scaffold; but it is to be secured with only a slight slack, so that it is in position to take the weight of the scaffold in case the ordinary suspension-ropes should give way from any cause.

The use of such a device will prevent many accidents which would otherwise occur to people using such scafiolds.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A safety attachment for suspended soaffolds, comprising a permanent attachment for a rope, located above the highest point of eimi the scaflfolds travel, a rope attached at one end to said support and extending under the scaifold and upward from the opposite side thereof in a loop, and then downward along the building front, an eyed hook receiving the rope at the loop and adapted to be secured thereto at any point, and a movable supporting device adapted to be secured to the building just above the scaffold and to receive said hook, substantially as described.

2. A safety device for suspended scaffolds, comprising a rope adapted to be secured at one end above the highest point of the scaf- 

